Little Girl x
by missgrace21
Summary: A continuation of the story Darkest Daughter. Regina And Ella are still building a relationship, Imogen has started just appearing wherever she fancies, and then people start reappearing who were previously dead.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Look at what I've got!" The bubbly blonde haired little girl screamed at her mother as she enters her office, mid-way through her Monday morning meeting.

"Lovely baby, But where is your father, or Roland. Surely they haven't just let you run off with your ice cream." Regina smiles as she pulls the three-year-old Imogen on to her lap. Regina was dressed in her usually sensible pantsuit, matched with a low ponytail and some very plain black heels.

"I thought you might want some rocky road ice cream and I told Daddy that I was going to show you and Ella…" Imogen looked round the room to see her sister standing at the end of the hallway, brown locks tied up in a high ponytail, matched with a black pencil skirt, white blouse, and a red jacket.

"Imogen, did you just magic yourself here again?" Regina asked as Ella walked toward them, having seen the green smoke, from her own office door.

"Well yes. But I did tell Daddy.." Ella shook her head at her mother, as she took Imogen's hand and guided her towards the door. She nodded at Emma and David in apology, but they just laughed as Imogen gave them a cheeky grin, as she held on tight to her sister's hand.

"We better go find your Daddy and Roland. Let's leave Mom to her rather important meeting.." Imogen blew her Mom a kiss, dropping the ice cream on the floor, causing her to start to wail. Ella magically made another appear and Regina cleared the mess with the swipe of her right hand.

"Bye girls"

Imogen Locksley, the daughter of the infamous Robin Hood, and his partner Regina Mills, three long years ago after the demise of the dark one. Imogen's birth mother had left long ago after Regina and Robin had had enough with Zelena constant mistakes and sent her packing back to Oz. Imogen who had most of her family wrapped around her little finger, especially her older brothers. Henry and Roland, both school age, both talented in many different ways one a writer, one looking forward to being a sportsman. Ella the eldest of the siblings was now putting her college degree to good use supporting her mother in her role as Mayor.

"Imi, Do you know how silly this is getting?" Ella tells her younger sister as she tidied the girl's blonde curls back into the bun on the top of her head, that she had neatly put them into that morning.

"It's not silly, why do you get to spend all day with Mummy and I don't?" Imogen replies as she stares up at her sister, as they walk through the doors out into the town.

"Because we are working, I wasn't even with her today… she was meeting with Auntie Emma and Uncle David, to try to work out how to keep the whole town safe. Ella was trying to work out how to build some new houses, for the people who lived with your Daddy in the forest." The forest life for the ever extending families of the merry men, it was becoming almost impossible, so Ella with her architectural degree was in charge of creating not only new homes, but finding the land for them to live on too.

Ella sighed as she scooped Imogen up into her arms to search for the rest of the family.

"Had you actually left the ice cream shop?" Imogen shook her head and pointed in the direction of her father and her older brothers. Robin and Henry appeared to be shouting out the blonde's girls name as people stopped and offered they support in finding her. Roland, on the other hand, was sat on the bench, fed up of having to find his younger sibling.

"Hey Robin, I've got her," Ella said as she passed Imogen back to her father. He pulled the little girl tight to his chest.

"Do you know how much you scared us again Imogen?" Henry told his sister as he kissed her lightly on her head.

"Imi, don't do that daddy and your brother again…" Imogen gave her father her big Green eyes, causing Ella to softly laugh.

"Those eyes could let you get away with anything… Robin may I suggest not letting her go this time.." Ella told her stepfather as she recalled all the occasion this had happened in recent weeks.

"I thought I could distract her with ice cream, I didn't know she was going to disappear again… Imogen, you scared Daddy and Roland…" Robin tells the little girl as he scooped her up and threw her in the air.

"I just wanted to show Mommy and Ella my Rocky road… I sorry." Imogen gives her Dad her big Green eyes, to smooth things over, which worked, as he placed a kiss on the little girl's lips.

"Ella trust it to be you bringing her back to us again. I swear she either wants you or mom." Henry told her as she tried to make her brother's ice cream slip from his grip.

"I don't think it's me, I think I am just normally with mom… when she comes to find her.." Ella told him as he playfully slapped the side of her head.

"Enough you two, don't give your sister bad habits, please. And anyway she must have known you and Regina were looking for boots and she didn't want to miss out…" Robin told Ella as she smirked at him.

"And can I say the money I have saved… on having these boots you wouldn't believe…" Ella pointed down at the boots to show that they were worth every penny.

"But Mom did pay for them?" Henry filled the others in as Ella nodded.

"Now that is what mothers are for sharing shoes.. unfortunately I don't think any of you or Imogen can fit her shoes or even look remotely as good as we, namely me in these boots look," Ella told the men as she looked down at a rather grumpy Roland.

"How many times is she going to do this? It's getting boring now?" The eight-year-old Roland looked up to his Dad.

"She just wants to be near Regina, little man. If you could do this, don't tell me you wouldn't." Robin tells the little boy as he looks to the floor blushing. Roland like his sister loved having lots of time with "gina" all to himself, but it was becoming less likely as their lives got more hectic.

"Talking off Regina, I need to get back. Maybe hold Imogen tight this time, with both hands." Ella kissed her little sister goodbye as she walked back to the Mayor's office.

Ella opened the door to her office and sighed aware that this had been the third time this week she had to return her sister to someone, whether it was Emma who had been babysitting her, whilst they had gone out for an adult dinner at grannies, Or whether it had been returning her to Belle who was her minder during weekdays. Imogen was using her ability to use green smoke to disappear from those she was supposed to be with to Regina and Ella who were normally really busy.

Ella switched the screen on, hoping to continue with her work for the day.

"Did you get her back safe and sound?" Ella nodded as Regina came and sat on the desk opposite her. They relationship had come a long way; they trusted each other implicitly and were each other's closest companion.

"I think we need to start considering creating a protection spell on her ability to transport. I just worry she is even going to end up in the wrong place or even worse when either one is doing something we shouldn't." Ella raised her eyebrow; the last few occasions it had been when Regina had been in a meeting and Ella had been able to return Imogen back to where she was meant to be. It seemed though the girl didn't have the control over where she was going to land next, she seemed to be doing it subconsciously.

"That would definitely put your sister off Jack once and for all. Imagine having to try to explain that to a three-year-old girl" Regina smirked at her daughter as she perched herself on the edge of Ella's wooden desk.

"That would be your conversation mama, not mine luckily. It's you she seems to want to be with more than me, I just happen to be in the vicinity when it has happened." Ella tells her as she opened up her emails, to find a picture of Jack, her boyfriend with a spade on the land of their very own home.

"That is true. So you are going then? Jack really has had enough of living with his future in-laws then?" Regina asked as she looked down at the floor, feeling the sadness rising in her chest. It wasn't that she wanted to stop Ella from living her life, but she just didn't want to lose the girl who had just become her best friend.

"You know I am, you signed it off and you said it was fine. It's not like I'm leaving you for New York you can walk the three houses away and see me… No inappropriate appearing though, I think Imogen has taught us one thing, it doesn't really work well for anyone." Regina gasped and shook her head.

"As if I would Ella Mills…" Ella raised her eyebrow as she waved her hand, to make two hot coffee cups appear in front of them.

"You need to get up and do this… using your magic like this is dangerous and lazy." Regina tells the girl as she grateful takes it from her.

"Dangerous coffee… I don't think so. You said it would be dangerous if I used magic to achieve my own outcomes. Like killing Snow White. Coffee just supports me in completing all the paperwork the Mayor expects me to do so that I can continue to build homes for the untold millions you have cursed." Ella laughed as she stood up.

"Well if you did your job better it would have been done last week," Regina replied as Ella took a sip of her coffee and headed towards the printer outside the office.

"Look all done…. Regina. But can I just say if I didn't have to keep dealing with your daughter's new tricks all the time I would have got this done sooner." Ella said as she passed her mother the completed paperwork.

"I let you have that. But you need to stop using your magic so loosely; the darkness is still within you Ella." Ella looked up and shook her head.

"I've got this under control Mom. I am a big girl and after all, I've been taught by one of the queens of darkness." Ella moved past her mother and back to her own office, as Regina's phone sounded from her own office.

"I better get this," Regina tells Ella as she looks over at the clock. She needed to get a move on if she was going to make it across town for her meeting with the dwarves, about helping her to begin construction in the forest. She turned off her computer, grabbed her car keys and handbags all whilst listening to her mother's conversation through the wall that separated their offices.

" Pardon. Your telling me that every single grave has been overturned…. Digging… why would people be digging up dead bodies….. I don't understand…. How is my vault open?... well David please go and have a look and take Emma with you… I and Ella will be there as soon as we can?" Ella paused grabbing her phone from a bag, sending a text message and grabbing the other coat from the stand.

"Ready for the next adventure?" Regina asks as she pulled the trench coat over shoulders.

"Not really… But there we go… I was literally going to have this meeting and then go home and curl up on the sofa with a movie.. while the boys went out to the sports bar to watch football…. But no need to save the town again…"

"Ella. You know your building homes is only really part time…."

"Yes because my priority is helping you Madam mayor…"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Ella switched the Mercedes off, as Regina stepped out holding her breath as the cold air caught in her throat. Ella slid out of her seat, sensing that something was wrong. They looked across the dark graveyard, to see the open graves that now stood empty. Ella glanced down at hole that used to hold the remains of Henry's father Neal, which were now completely gone.

"What would someone achieve from taking bodies?" Ella asked as she lost her balance, causing her to begin to fall down in the dark grave that she was peering into until Regina stopped her at the last minute with the flick of a hand.

"You said don't use your magic loosely…" Ella tells her mouth as she regained her balance and walked beside her mother.

"You would have been in a rather muddy hole if I hadn't .. What would I have gained out of that?" Regina asked as she took Ella's hand.

" me not getting mud on your brand new boots, but beside the point.. Why would someone unbury every person whose body was here? You can't bring someone back from the dead. " Ella asked again as they walked to the very corner of the graveyard.

"They can't no, but they obviously have plans especially as they are trying to get into my vault. We better get up there and meet Emma and David." There was no worry in Regina's voice as they walked towards her vault, that she knew was magically sealed; only blood magic could break it.

"Hello again... not brought Imogen with you for this then?" David laughed as Regina glared at him.

"She is at home with Robin, there is a magical protection on the house which will stop her from seeing certain things Imogen doesn't need to be part of," Regina tells him as she opened the door slightly, peeking inside followed by Ella who was holding a fireball in her right hand.

"It's all safe here, apart from the fact that Grandpa's body is gone. We better go down and see whether they managed to get down there too." Emma walked behind the two and helped Regina push at her father's coffin, to uncover the staircase down into the depths of the vault.

"So I saw Jack today, and he seemed very excited about making ground on your house. Finally moving out then Ella?" Emma asked as she followed the two brunettes down the stairway.

"It's a bit of a tough subject but we can't all live with our parents forever." Ella tells her as she turned away from her mother to look at the blonde, who sensed the tension between the two.

"When you're trying to make a relationship you had never thought you would never have. It's worth it." Emma tells her as Ella walked away and down the corridor to where her father's body laid and had been the last time she had been here.

Regina sighed as her daughter walked off towards were Daniel lay, recently she had taken to leaving Ella to her father on her own, giving her the time with him that she never had when he was living. Regina turned to David and Emma as they looked to her mother's coffin that luckily was still closed and still contained her mother's body.

Ella glided her hands around as she magically unlocked her father's tomb, twisting her hands as she heard her mother call out that her grandmother was indeed still there. As she turned into her father's tomb preparing to see his body lying on the slate, in his normal state frozen in time by her mother's magic.

"he's gone..."

Regina pulled Ella close as she was shaking from the shock of her father being gone, it may have just been its lifeless form, but for the last few years, that was all she needed to feel safe. Now it was not just Ella who was worried for the town it was Regina too because what could whoever had done this to the bodies in the graveyard, to Daniel, and to Henry Senior achieve from digging them up and stealing them.

"None of this makes any sense, why wouldn't you take Cora as well why leave her body behind?" Emma asked as Ella pulled away and held onto her mother's hand.

"When does anything in this town ever make sense Emma? We better get the others together and meet at grannies?" David tells them as Regina shook her head at him.

"Not grannies, I need to get home for Imogen, I told her I would say goodnight tonight. Meet at our house in an hour. Ella wait in the car." Ella reluctantly let go of her mother's hand, aware that once she walked away she was going to be talked about.

"Regina is she going to be okay?" Emma asked, as Ella got into the Mercedes.

"She is just shocked that's all. I want to get her home and calm her down before we have to think about what is going to happen next I don't want to put her at risk of being taken in by her heart's darkness." Regina turned and walked away towards Ella in the waiting car. In the car, Ella was just facing the fact that what was coming next was going to be the worst thing that had happened since they'd managed to get the darkness out of Emma.

Imogen lay in Regina's arms, telling her about her day. Regina stroked the girl's wild strawberry blonde curls in an attempt to get her to settle.

"All I want to do is come and work at the office with you and Ella. I could help you make big girl choices, like letting Jack and Ella leave the house soon..." Even Imogen knew about what was happening in the next few weeks, about how Ella and her boyfriend of three years, were taking the next step, building a house. Regina was finding it hard to accept that the daughter she almost didn't have was ready to leave her so soon.

"And what do you think about not having them around so much..." Regina asked Imogen hoping to form an alliance with the three year old, over her older sibling not leaving them so soon.

"Ella said that I could come and stay with her and Jack whenever I wanted, and that we could have movies nights, at her house and that she would never leave me. Jack, though I haven't spoken to him because he has made me sad.." Jack was Imogen's favorite man, she would love spending time with him, and would often get jealousy if Ella was getting more attention than she was, it was a three-year-old crush that infuriated her daddy.

"Okay Imi, I'm with you but think it's time that we got some sleep princess." Regina said to the little girl as she snuggled in behind her, smelling the scent of her shampoo, which clearly she had been sharing with Ella.

"Tell me the story of Snow White again Mommy. " Regina sighed as she began, Thinking of her eldest child and the torment that she was feeling.

The torment that had led to her being on her third rather large glass on red wine when Robin came in and sat beside her.

"You alright kid, your mom told me what happened?" Robin asked as Ella picked the glass up taking a huge gulp.

"I would be alright if I had the chance to have a normal day. If I didn't have to nearly fall into a hole, to find the problem with Storybooke, my mom is mad at me because I want to move out to start my own life and just to top it off my Dad who was dead, has managed to leave me just like everyone else does." Ella sighed as she attempted to top the glass up, but Robin put his hand over the glass to stop her from having any more.

"And drinking that isn't going to help you. Helping sort out another problem with the town will. Your mother just needs time to adjust to you not being here, she's just been so used to having you here, to talk too, to watch girly films that make her cry with. Make dinner with her and actually help, she's liked helping you control your magic. Daniel's body may be gone, but you still have the one thing he would have wanted you to have a relationship with the woman he loved. "Robin tells her as he takes the bottle from her hand. Ella feels the tears start.

"Just knowing that they were both there I felt safe felt like I had some control. Now I'm back to being confused again, back to being the me from three years ago. The girl who couldn't control herself, her magic, her anger and her sadness. The girl who always ended up on her own. "Ella asked as Robin stood and pulled the girl in close to his chest.

"You are safe and you are part of this family, You will never end up alone. Regina and Emma need your help to stop whatever is happening, you are part of their magical team, they can't and they won't do this without you. Ella I will not, your mother will not and your brothers and your baby sister will not let you go. You are part of this crazy and chaotic family. Which means you are stuck with us sweetheart." Robin lifted the girl's head up to face him as he wiped the tears from her eyes and gently kissed her on the forehead. Just like any father would do for their daughter.

Regina listened from the hallway, smiling to herself to see how close the two had become in the last few years. Robin was the one that Ella turned to when she needed help with her mother, like trying to persuade her that moving out was the best idea for the nearly thirty-year-old woman and her boyfriend. Robin turned to Ella when he needed help picking gifts for her mother, Help with working technology and even showing him how to use the new coffee machine. They had become father and daughter quicker than expected, Ella and Henry were as much Robin's children as Roland and Imogen where Regina's, they would do anything for their family.

The doorbell rung shocking Regina as she dropped the baby monitor on the floor, as the other two walked towards her.

"eavesdropping are we Regina mills ..." Robin said as he playfully tapped her butt, as she picked up the monitor from the floor. Ella passed them as Jack appeared at the bottom of the stairs fresh from the shower placing a kiss on his girlfriend's lips, wiping the remaining tears out from under the girl's eyes.

"I hear you've had a bad day, princess." Jack told her as Robin answered the door, to Hook, Emma, Snow, David , Belle and Gold. Ella nodded, as he pulled her closer.

"Nice to be invited into the Mayors house once in a while. " Gold said as Ella walked behind them, magically making hot drinks appear before them on the coffee table. Regina shook her head at Ella's loose user of magic again.

As they sat down Regina and Ella stood next to each other ready to discuss what had happened, but they stopped as the room started to shake and the rest of the group began ducking behind objects.

As the street lights burned out and the whole town plunged into darkness, with only a blast of light coming through the centre of the main street. Because there is no place like home.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

The street silently shook as the all looked around, stunned by what they were seeing. For three years they had been peace in Storybrooke pretty much, there was nothing as bad as what had happened before. Life was good, their lives were thriving, they were happy then they had even been. The town was calm, there were all friends and they had all spent time with each other, they had their own families of course. This was their home and now it was no longer at peace again.

Hook, Snow, David, Belle Gold and Jack all looked across to each other in shock, while Regina, Emma and Ella stepped forward and disappeared one after the other. The three women so in sync that they knew they were the only ones who could go a see what had happened now.

"Coming in for some scotch? Think we might all need it." Robin asked as he watched his soulmate, his daughter, and his friend all disappear.

"What was that Gold?" Snow asked as she held on tight to David's hand as they walked back into the house where Robin stood, all the children still sleeping soundly upstairs.

"I have no idea, my dear… But let's go back in and wait for your daughter, your stepmother and your stepsister to return."

A purple cloud descended in front Granny's diner as Regina appeared in front of it, turning to see if she could catch sight of the other two, who she had clocked following her example.

"Ella …" Emma appeared beside her in her own cloud of white, searching for the other woman who once stood beside her. She turned to spot Regina calling out Ella's name in panic.

"Where is Ella?" Regina asked as she pulled away toward the alleyway beside Grannies' diner that led to the bed and breakfast.

"I thought she was with you.." Emma told the brunette as they heard a loud thump just ahead of them, as Ella appeared in her own cloud of purple smoke, spotting the others quickly. As she slowly pulled herself up and out of the table that she had managed to land in.

"Ouch…. Well that hurt. I didn't know one glass of red one could make my transporting go that off course. You never told me that." Ella moaned as she pulled the table out from under her. The pain never even once passed her mind as she freed herself. As her mother stared aware that the one glass was a lie, and that the dark heart of Ella's was what was stopping the majority of the pain she should be feeling.

"Well done Ella. We are about to take on our next problem and you've been drinking." Regina yelled at her daughter, magically pulling her towards where the other two were stood.

"I didn't know I was going to be expected to transport into a beam of light did I? My Dad who was laying in your vault has just up and left, I think I am entitled to one drink for the shock. Anyway you shouldn't have had it in the house if it wasn't for drinking." Ella sighed trying to changing her mother's stern expression. Fully aware that she wasn't just going to have a headache in the morning, but a very difficult magical conversation from her Mom, which would probably lead to more discussion of why Ella should stay living with her and how she could "protect her."

"shh.. what was that?" Emma distracted the pair from their argument, to listen out to the sound of cracking from the bright light.

"Only one way to find out… Saviour and the Evil queen can save the day again?" Ella said as she pulled away from the others and began to walk towards the light. Emma followed the younger Brunette, well aware that they couldn't let her go it alone, because if anyone was going to get pulled into the strange looking light, it would be the one with blackest soul.

"If I am the evil queen, what does that make you?" Regina asked as she stood to the opposite of Ella. Who took hold of her mother's leather glove and smiled in defiance.

"Cold," Ella told her as she winked playfully, aware that what Robin had said was very much the truth. Ella was part of the team the magical team to save Storybrooke.

"I think Regina, Your daughter needs a title of her own…." The light was getting brighter as they approached. They all broke away from each other lifting their arms in the air, aware of what they needed to do next, unsure if it would work.

"When I get to three…. One… Two.. Three…." The light transcended from all three hands as they lifted their hands higher.

"I think I should just stick to being the Evil queen's darkest daughter.," Ella replied as she felt her body start to shake under the pressure of the magic that the three were using.

"Emma, this isn't working.." Just then a shape appeared from the light, Ella's hands dropped back to her side as she rushed to stop her mother and the blonde from using their magic any longer.

"Stop, there is something there.." Ella pulled her mother's arms down, pushing all three back to the floor.

"What is that?" Emma asked as the three regained their composure and stood again.

"It's nothing. Why did you stop us, Ella?" Regina asked as she raised her arms again, as the shape began to turn into a figure, Causing Regina to step back of her own accord, aware of the figure staring straight through her.

"Mom stop. I think it's a shadow. Could that be one of the bodies…" Ella replied as she walks towards the figure as Emma pulled the girl back.

"Ella we don't know what it is. We can't just run towards it. Regina, what do we do?" Emma turned to Regina, who was stood transfixed by the figure.

"Mom. What is it?" Ella asked as her concern grew, she had only seen her mother like this once, the day that they had met.

"Regina…" Emma called once more as they both grabbed hold of the woman's arms and managed to transport her away to where they had once stood, in the alley beside grannies. Regina was still transfixed as Emma tried to get her attention.

"Mom… Talk to us… Come on we need your help. I need my mom, you're the only one out of the three of us who understands magic. Who can control it… Mom… Come on.. … " Ella yelled at her mother, with no reply and no expression on Regina's face.

"Regina come back to us…." Emma called out as Ella stepped away, catching a flick of green smoke out of the corner of her eye.

"Imogen…" Ella called as she left Regina in the care of Emma who still hadn't responded.

Ella ran towards the blonde, who seemed to have yet again transported herself in her sleep, dressed in her Frozen Nightie. Ella focused on the little girl as she closed her eyes and a coat appeared on the girl's shoulders. The little girl who her mom had promised could no longer transport herself to anywhere her subconscious took her. She couldn't believe that right now the only person who possibly could help her was transfixed on whatever it was coming out of the light, and that she had been left to deal with her baby sister yet again. Ella scooped the little girl up and headed back to her mother and Emma.

"Regina?" A voice called, tapping on the shoulder causing Ella to jump dropping Imogen in the process, causing the little girl to wake. Emma swiped her hand, moving the little girl out of the voice's grasp, hoping that Ella would do the same and transport herself back to them.

"Who wants to know?" As Ella turned to be faced with a man she didn't recognize.

"Your husband…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

Ella paused in confusion. Husband, she had never had a husband. Not that she remembered but her Mother had, and Ella was a double for her mother when she was younger.

"Your Snow's father…" Ella asked as the figure pulled at the young girl's arm, pulling her closer to him.

"Regina do not play dumb. Where are we? What has your magic done to us? And where is Snow?" He pulled Ella's arm harder, causing intense pain in her arm.

"My magic has not done this, I live here now. You have been dead for years. Now let go of me or I will use my magic." Ella replied as she looked back towards where the others were hiding. Hoping that her mother was about to step out of her trance like state.

"Let her go…" A sleepy Imogen called out quietly as Emma placed her hand over her goddaughter's mouth.

"Well I am clearly alive, I am holding on to you now. So I am clearly not a ghost." Leopold replied as Ella flicked her free wrist producing a fireball which missed her target.

"Don't be stupid. Take me to Snow now..." Leopold yelled as he grabbed Ella's other wrist, tightening his grasp. Ella yelped out aware that this was a dangerous game she was playing, pretending to be Regina, the Regina before the Evil Queen had even begun. The Regina, who was tortured by this very man, the man who was holding Ella so tight that she could no longer feel her fingers in one hand.

"Well, let me just call her and I am sure she will be here as quickly as her car will let her," Ella said as she pulled away and reached into her coat pocket and dialed Snow's number. Regina was starting to come out of her stance, looking towards her daughter being pulled by Leopold's grasp, she could feel the pain rising in her own flesh as his knuckles tightened around the arm of the young girl.

"Hi Snow… It's Regina look don't panic we are all okay.. but could you possibly get down here… Okay.. see you in a minute…" Ella sighed as she hung up, fully aware that Snow would know it wasn't Regina on the phone, but her daughter instead.

"What is that thing you just used?" Leopold asked as Ella passed it to him.

"That my love is a phone, and this is how the years have changed the world. This is why I need you to let me go, your daughter will be here soon. I am not the same woman that you left behind; I am not scared of you. I have a family to protect and I will not let you destroy what I have here. So I suggest when Snow gets here you go with her. Until I work out what we are going to do next." Regina stepped back, placing a kiss on Imogen head, which still had Emma's hand clasped across her mouth.

"Imogen I need you to go with Auntie Emma, I need to help your sister. I need to save the town. I need to do some big girl things… Please, Imi.." Imogen looked up at her mother.

"Okay Mummy, but you come back soon…" Regina nodded as she planted a kiss on the young girl's head. She turned to Emma.

"Take her back to the house. If you catch Snow tell her.. that he is here. If you don't then me and Ella will deal with it… Just go." Emma looked up at her friend.

"Be careful, he may be my grandfather, but I don't trust him, Regina," Emma said as she vanished in a cloud of smoke, taking Imogen with her. Regina sighed as Emma disappeared with her daughter. Here she was thirty- six years later back in the same position as before petrified about the man, who she knew she could kill. That same man was holding her daughter so tightly and she could see the pain in her eyes, as he had mistaken the younger brunette for her. But for some reason, Ella was letting him believe that she was her mother. She was protecting her against one of many who had damaged her in the past.

"Let her go. It's not her you want it's me" Regina yelled as Leopold turned to face her. Ella looked up, aware that he obviously wasn't the sort of man you could make arrangements with. Regina flicked her wrist, pushing Leopold away from the other girl.

"And who are you?" Leopold asked as he regained his balance. Ella looked up, glancing at her mother scared for what could happen next. This was a man who Regina had killed once before.

"Isn't that obvious. I am what you and others have made me." She tells him as Ella moved back from them, turning towards the light, where other figures were heading their way. Ella looked back across at her mother, who was walking closer to her husband.

"How dare you? Of course, I know what my own wife looks like. I don't like what she is wearing but she is my wife." Ella glanced at the light, as she spotted a familiar figure heading towards her. She smiled, how she had missed him.

" Ella is my daughter, she is missing one thing that your wife had, No lip scar. But guess you wouldn't have noticed that. You never knew anything really about me, you didn't look at me close enough" Regina tells Leopold as she looked across at Ella who was running towards the light, to be faced with a figure that Regina recognized.

"Ella…. Ella" The man grew closer as he held his arms out to her.

"Grandpa, I can't believe you're here," Ella yelled as she ran into his arms. Regina watched as her daughter ran into her father's arms, the father who probably now knew everything that she had done, she had killed him. She stepped back, watching as her daughter pulled him closer.

"Trust me this is not your wife, this is your wife's daughter. Now let them both go, I won't tell you again. You damaged Regina enough; I will not let you do this to Ella." Henry called out, breaking the grasp on his granddaughter, as they walked towards Leopold and Regina. Henry had changed being given the second chance had changed him, he wasn't about to watch as his Ella become the man's next victim. He lifted his arm up and punched the older man.

"I didn't expect that… Grandpa, you don't know how much I've missed you. I don't understand what is happening?" Ella asked as Regina stepped over her husband's unconscious body, not for the first time.

"Well, I think it's your grandmother…. I think she wants to rekindle what she had before. Speaking of which, have you seen her yet? We don't have long to stop her?" Regina shook her head as she approached them, holding her hand out to Ella.

"What do you mean?" Henry looked at the daughter he had lost years before, the daughter who missed out on the opportunities he had been given in with his granddaughter. Ella grabbed her Grandfather's hand.

"I'm saying that its time that you two defeated the one person who has made the darkest you could be. The person who is the reason you ripped my heart from my chest, Gina..." Regina sobbed as her father said the words, he knew, he had always known what she had done, but he had been given a second chance a chance to raise a daughter the way he always wanted. Ella was the person that now deep down Regina was. He reached out his free hand to his daughter.

" Come here. I need my girls. I've missed you both.. I've been watching you both.. You've got the relationship I never thought you would have." Henry reassured them as they walked away from the light, as it began to dim.

"Grandpa, we haven't seen her yet… Her body is still down in the vault. Mom, what are we going to do?" Ella turned to her Mom as they both pulled away.

"We do what we always do, we fight this as a family.."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

As the light faded in the street, Henry held on tight to his girls aware that any moment he could return to the bones and rubble he once was. He was hoping that for now, he was going to be given the chance to be reunited with them just for the moment.

Behind them, the light began to disappear as Snow and David appeared beside Leopold's side, which had begun to wake from his unconscious state. Ella held on to her grandfather's hand as they disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.

Robin was starting to clean up the mess from the guests as Emma arrived back down the stairs, after putting Imogen back to bed. She had yet again put a magically shield on the little girl's bedroom. Hook was laying sound asleep on the sofa.

"Robin, I am sure they are fine," Emma tells him as she walked towards him, helping to clear the last of the glasses.

"It's not them I am worried about, it's Leopold, he has some sort of hold over Regina, and you said she went silent." He stopped as a purple cloud appeared in the hallway, which contained his girlfriend, daughter and a man he couldn't say he recognized. The bang as they landed caused Hook to stir.

"What was that?" Hook asked as Regina stepped forward, followed closely by the man. Ella sighed as she looked around for Jack, who walked down the stairs towards her.

"Henry.." Jack held his hand out for the man, who he had many a dinner with in Ella's younger years before Elliott had come along.

" Hello. Glad she finally found you. I could always see that you two were meant for each other.." Henry said to the boy as he shook his hand. Ella smiled fully aware, that Henry wanted her to go with Jack from the very start.

"Regina. Who is this?" Robin asked as she kissed him gently on the cheek.

"This is my father.." Hook stood now confused. As Henry walked towards Robin and shook the man's hand.

"Back from the dead… are you saying?" Ella approached Hook and smiled.

"That someone. Or your old friend Cora has awoken the dead. For what reason, We don't know.." Ella told him as Jack gentle stroked the girl's arm which was starting to bruise.

"Who did this you?" Jack asked his girlfriend as her mother appeared at her side.

"My husband… I think we better get some ice on that." Regina told Ella as she took her hand.

"Don't you think we should go and see who else has come back…" Hook asked as he followed them both into the kitchen.

"Do you mean all the people that we hurt in the past… Hook for now the light is off. Which is making me think this is my mother's doing. Bringing Leopold back to hurt me and my father back to please Ella and destroy me." Robin flicked the kettle back on.

" Why would she care if I am happy? She died because I found you.." Ella tells her as she guided Henry Senior to a sit on the kitchen table.

"I also died because of that Ella, if I'm here so is she," Henry told the girl as he glanced at Regina.

" Exactly, she wants me dead. Leopold did this to you because he thought you were me." Regina told the girl as she passed some frozen vegetables to the girl

"But Grandpa, he is here. He wants to be with us both of us. What would Grandma achieve from doing this?" Ella asked as Jack applied the vegetables to the girl's arm causing her to flinch.

"She wants to take you with us. She has unfinished business, She thinks that you shouldn't be in the land of the living if she is not. " Henry tells the girl as she looks across at him.

"Why? Does she not realize that the damage she has done can never be undone." Ella asked again.

"I don't understand that woman any more than you two do. I was married to her and didn't try to stop what she was doing to Regina." Henry said as he stood up and looked at his daughter.

" I understand what she wants. She is jealous.. of us. Of the relationship she never wanted us to have." Regina tells Ella, as she sighs.

"After all this time. She still wants me.."

Regina looked out of the window, into the darkness the street upside down again. She had tried to sleep, but it wasn't happening as all she could think of was that someone was after her child again, her family was in danger and it was all she could think off. She turned to look down at a sleeping Robin, who didn't seem as concerned, as he said "Ella has saved herself and others before. She was a big girl she would be fine." To Regina, her little girl was not ready to face another threat, Cora wanted what she had taken from her before, but it wasn't just Ella. It was Imogen who couldn't seem to control where she was transporting herself too, last night it was just lucky that Ella had managed to catch her before Leopold had. Leopold, the man that Cora had forced Regina to marry, the man who had done so much, so much to damage her, change her make her that person she never thought she could have been. The Evil Queen.

Regina stopped thinking for a second as she heard a loud crash from down the stairs, she kissed Robin on the head as she walked through the door of their bedroom and down the stairs.

Ella sighed as she attempted to stand back up, she knew trying to make coffee in the dark was a bad idea, especially when Imogen had a bad habit of leaving movable toys lying around. She shook her head as she pulled herself up using the counter, her head hurt and she knew it was all her own fault, she should have forced herself to sleep but she couldn't. She turned as she heard someone come down the last step, she flinched as a fireball appeared in her hand.

"Ella… Ella Mills Why are you not asleep?" Regina said as she jumped as Ella's fireball narrowly missed her head.

"I could ask you the same question…. Sorry I am bit jumpy right now.." Regina switched on the light, as she watched Ella flick the switch on the kettle.

"I can't too much go on in my head.. Your excuse?" Regina asked as she passed Ella two cups and the coffee pot. She noticed the bruise that had appeared on the girl's arm, the first for months, the bruise that meant that Leopold had caused Ella's heart some pain too.

"Same thing I suppose. I'm dreading seeing her again, knowing its coming soon is worrying me. She said some horrible things to you the last time we were together. I just can't bear the thought. She might be my Grandma, but she tried everything to make me hate you.. and now I'm scared she could do it again… especially with this black soul of mine." Ella said as she reached into the fridge for the milk. Regina grabbed the younger girl's hand.

"She will not harm either of us… We just need to concentrate on us. And remember that we've come through worse.. or are we forgetting you knocking me out cold?" Regina tells her as put the boiling water in the cups.

"I try to forget, besides I only did that to protect you, Mom," Ella told her as she stirred both cups and took her own and walked towards the comfort of the living room. Regina followed Ella and flicked her wrist to light the fire with her own fireball.

" I know sweetheart, but all I am saying is we've overcome worse…" She took Ella's hand as they placed their cups on the table.

"I know. Why we are on the subject. Why don't you want me to leave you really?" Ella asked as she Snuggled into her mother's arms.

"I get why you want to leave. You are ready to start your next chapter but I suppose I don't want to be left behind." Ella shook her head as Regina began to stroke the young brunette's hair.

"I would never leave you behind.. who else would let me borrow their favorite pair of boots to go to a cemetery. ." Ella laughed as she looked up at her.

"I don't want to lose these moments because I suppose deep down you're the little girl I never had this moment with."

In the center of town, it began to shake again as two familiar faces appeared again, ready to begin the next process of killing Ella and dragging her back with her grandmother to the underworld.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six

Robin walked down the stairs with Imogen wrapped up in his arms, as after Regina had left him in bed the youngest member of the Mills-Locksley household had climbed into bed beside him. Imogen had woken him up when the sun had broken through in early hours by yelling out..

"Time for breakfast and finding my Ella and my Mummy ..." Robin had sighed, pulled on his dressing gown and taken her down the stairs where laying at opposite ends of the sofa were Regina and Ella, with the end of the notebook on the screen. He smiled at the two, who seemed to need the rest after the day before. He placed Imogen on the floor as she ran for the kitchen to find a barstool to watch him start breakfast.

"So Imogen, what should we do today?" Robin asked as he passed her a bowl of her favourite cereal with a cup of milk.

"Can I go with mummy and Ella today.." She asked as Robin headed towards the coffee machine to make three strong cups of coffee.

"I don't think you can ... But you can come with me if you want ..." Jack appeared behind her as he nodded at Robin.

"That you can do, Mummy and Ella are going to do what they have to do sweetheart." Robin replied as he passed Jack the cup of coffee that was ready for drinking.

"you alright though Robin? Bet your happy to finally meet Henry senior, he's a lovely bloke just a shame we don't know how long for. "Jack asked as he looked to see his girlfriend start to shift on the sofa.

"I am very good mate, I'm worried about the girls but I'm sure they will be fine. They've seen worse. Henry is just the one good thing that's come from this ." Robin pulled some eggs out of the fridge as Ella appeared in the hallway.

"Morning, so I've had the worst night's sleep ever. How are we all doing? No transporting since last night Imogen?" Ella asked playfully as she gently kissed her on the cheek and slid in between the others.

"No... but maybe later. But Jack said I could go with him today ... do grown up stuff that you can't do..." Ella laughed as Robin passed her a fresh cup of coffee.

"So cuddling up to your mom didn't help your sleep. How much of the film did you actually see.?" Robin asked as he cracked five eggs in the frying pan.

"not enough, last bit I can remember was Noah going to war. Mum is really worried about what's next and all I can think about us needing some time to get to grips with the fact that the dead are rising up again. I think Dad could be next speaking of which there was no earth shaking last night?" Ella jumped down from the chair as she took the last gulp of her coffee.

"No not that I felt" Robin and Jack both shook their head as he replied for them both.

"Which means sweetheart, your mother, you and that blonde lady that was with you last night have all day to figure out where this has come from..." Henry senior appeared behind them closely followed by Henry and Roland, who seemed to look very confused to the newest addition to the manor.

"Morning boys and Henry, this is your Grandfather , the one Ella always talks about." Robin tells them both as Imogen jumped down from the chair, to run into the older man's arms. Ella laughed as she placed a kiss on her grandfather's cheek.

"Welcome to the family. I'm going to jump in the shower and get ready for the day ahead. Enjoy your breakfast!" Ella walked away from the group, finding this really difficult. The man who four years ago she had lost, who had always been just her grandpa, she was going to have to share. Henry was going to start making memories with his three newest grandchildren, as his eldest made steps to in the direction of sending him back from where he had been once before.

Regina stirred as Ella walked passed her, she could hear the rest of the family in the kitchen. She could also hear her father's voice in the kitchen, but she too was very aware that this time for now was precious, time that they wouldn't have for long, time that she should cherish.

"Morning. ..."

Ella pulled the boots over her leg as the bathroom door swung open to reveal a very much naked Jack.

"Well let's just say that seeing you all bruised up last night, drove me mad. I want to go out find your mother's husband and beat him to a pulp. But I realise now that you were protecting her and that was something that you had to do... I also realised that man was technically dead, but just knowing he touched you has driven me crazy all night. .." Jack smiled as he walked closer to her, kissing her gently as she stood up.

"So you would like to get your frustration out in some form, and you wondered whether I would be a suitable victim..." Ella smiled as she took her boyfriend's hand as they kissed harder, and he scooped her up into his arms and threw her down on the bed.

"Whatever you ask for my princess. ..."

Meanwhile Imogen was helping her Mom pick out her outfit for the day. Regina had chosen to keep it causal herself jeans, plain top Ella's black leather jacket..

"Can I wear my red jacket like auntie Emma today? because Jack is going to take me to go and help him build his and Ella's castle" Regina smiled at the girls as she found the jacket in the cupboard.

"I don't think it's going to be a castle Imi. Speaking of your big sister did she seem okay when you saw her ?" Regina knew that Imogen was more likely to tell her exactly how her sister was.

"she was good, just tired she said. Look I can show you.." Imogen grabbed Regina's hand and used her magic to transform them both it to the room.

Where Ella's clothes lay abounded on the bedroom floor and Jack seemed to be enjoying taking all of the girlfriend in.

"Imogen. .." Regina yelled at her youngest as returned them to Imogen's own room.

"I told you she was okay. .. Was Jack hurting her? " Regina was still in shock as Robin appeared in the hallway.

"No sweetheart. They were just dancing.. Imogen go and find Henry, tell him that you need to listen to his story…" he told her as he took Regina's hand and squeezed it, fully aware that so far Imogen had never done this to them.

"I cannot believe it… she actually did that to me…" Regina winced as Robin gently laughed.

"Now do you see why she wants to move out… with you bursting in with her baby sister.." Robin laughed….

"Are you actually kidding me right now? I told you she could just appear whenever she fancied, I told you to put a magical shield on all the rooms." Ella appeared outside the door flustered but re-dressed.

"Your mom told you to lock the door..." Robin told her. As a redressed Jack appeared beside her.

"She didn't come through the door, Robin…" Jack told the other man as he smirked.

"And this is exactly why we are moving out… because she could just pop in whenever she wants and I can't not deal with that.."

"Ella that's not fair…. Whether we move out or not she seems to pop in whenever or wherever she wants..." Jack replied to his girlfriend, causing both Robin and himself to burst into laughter.

"This isn't funny… I cannot live like this anymore. She can't keep doing this… She does it to you because you're her Mother, but me why me…Why do I have to be the one at the wrong time.." Ella yelled as she pushed Robin to one side to face her mother who had been silent.

"Ella what are you suggesting, blocking her magic just because you and Jack don't know the time and the place. " Regina yelled at Ella in return.

"You're trying to blame me, for having sex with my boyfriend in the morning. Are you telling me that you and Robin haven't had sex since she started her new trick, mom." Ella returned her anger, furious that her mother was even trying to tell her she was wrong.

"Yes I am blaming you because you know that your sister just appears when she ever wants too…. You should know better than that…" Regina yelled back at her.

"I should know better, I didn't ask for any of this… I didn't ask to be a part of this family… I didn't ask to have a sister who could just magic herself wherever she wanted…. But let's be honest she is not my sister, she is actually my cousin if we are being honest. Because remember you can't have children because you took a potion to make that stop…" Ella felt herself tremble and then stop as Jack pulled her back.

"Enough now… You do not speak to your mother like that… I don't care how dark your soul is Ella, you do not do that." Robin told the girl as he held onto Regina's hand as the tears brewed in the older women's eyes.

"Ella if you don't want to be part of this family anymore there's the door.." Regina shouted across the men. As Ella flicked her hands vanishing into purple smoke.

"I am so sorry Regina, I don't know what's gotten into to her.." Jack told the woman as he stepped back.

"She doesn't get to talk to you like that Regina.," Robin told her as he pulled her into his chest.

"Robin, Just leave me for a bit…"

"But Regina, …"

"Robin take the kids and just get out of here… Tell Jack to take Imogen… just leave me."

Ella waved her hands over the blood locked vault door, tears streaming from her face. The fight with her mother, she knew that she had been wrong to take that far, but she also knew that the darkness in her would make her cruel, it would make her evil and say everything that the darkest bleakest part of her soul wanted her to repeat. Of course she loved her family, but sometimes it was too much, trying to being understanding of every situation. Imogen was her sister she knew that, but she knew that the one thing that would hurt Regina was reminding her of the one thing that she could never have, another child something that they both shared in common.

"There you are…" Ella turned to see a woman she thought was gone for good. "Zelena, what are you doing here?"

"As if you don't know sweetheart… I am here for my daughter… and you.."

"Me why would you want me…"

"Because she wants you…"

"Cora wants me… you an errand girl now Zelena?" Ella asked as she turned to look at her face in the mirror, noticing the bruise was back beneath her eye.

" No, but you can help me and I can help her. Why have you been crying?" Zelena told the girl as she turned back to face her.

"Help her do what? What does she want to help you with? She abandoned you." Ella told the older woman, who smiled back at her.

" But we both have one thing in common. We want to take our little girls with us… Ella what is that on your eye?" Zelena asked as Ella waved a hand across her face.

" My face is not your concern… Take me and Imogen where exactly?" Ella asked

"Ella did Regina do that to you?" Zelena asked trying to deviate the girls attention.

"NO… Where are you taking us?" Ella asked again.

"To the underworld… where it can be just us. No interferences. No one to mess up relationships. No one to hurt us. What happened?"

"By that you mean Regina," Ella asked as she walked towards her aunt ignoring her question.

"Mainly Regina and that So called family of yours. What happened to your face Emily Mills?" Zelena yelled at her in a tone she had heard many of time before.

"Grandma has your heart. I can see that.. Get out or I will throw this fireball at your face.." Ella pulled a fireball from her chest aiming it at Aunt's face.

"I will be back…."


	7. Chapter 7

_This chapter contains some scenes of abuse._

 _Chapter seven_

 **The night before.**

Ella pulled the sheet closer to her chest, as she tossed in her sleep, waiting for Jack's return. They relationship seemed to be stronger than ever, but sometimes he needed to head out and blow out some steam. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table, 1 am and so far she hadn't slept at all. The overwhelming sense of what had happened through the day playing on her mind. From being reunited with her Grandfather, to meeting the man who played a part in the Evil queen and again losing her father to magic. She heaved her body out of bed heading to the window. There stood Jack talking to an unfamiliar woman, blonde in a short red dress and black heels. Ella didn't recognize as she pulled the sheet closer to her frame as she watched the man she loved kiss the woman. A run he had said, this looked more like a run, it looked more like cheating on her. Then began the pull on her heart as she raced the stairs in little more than her silk short pajamas, she pulled the front door open, and then it started.

She flew her right arm and made the girl disappears in a plume of purple smoke. Ella knew what was happening; the dark soul was taking over her. She knew in this situation she needed to call for her mother, but the pain had overtaken her heart.

"What do you think you are doing?" Jack asked as he turned to the girl.

"You said you were going for a run. But it seems on your run you found some tart and some alcohol by the smell of it." Ella winced as Jack grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the house.

"I needed a break… I am entitled to that.." Jack whispered as dragged her up the stairs to their sound proof room.

"A break from what… From me? Because I thought I was your world." Jack released his grip.

"I needed a break from this hell. Because I hardly see you anymore. You not even going to come tomorrow to see out house being started, because you need to help your bloody mother…" Jack snarled as he threw off the jacket he had been wearing.

"This isn't hell if you love me. And if you don't get the hell out." Ella told him as she came face to face with him.

"I do love you. That's the problem, I love you and I love this crazy family, but I know deep down that we can't be happy because you can't give me what I need… what I want.." Jack traced his hand over his girlfriend's chin.

"I can't give you're a child. There are options, we could adopt, find someone who could have our baby for us. I am sorry I didn't choose to be this way..." Ella took hold off his hand as he placed his hand on the girl's cheek, wiping the tears away.

"Ella I want everything with you. But not here…. Let's go home.." Ella sniffled in his grasp.

"This is my home…" Jack removed his hand from her cheek now.

"No your home is with me in New York, where we can forget every bad thing that has happened here. We can start over." Jack told her as he turned away.

"I will not do that you know that…. Jack if you love me you won't make me chose." Jack grabbed the girl by the throat now angry.

"I have given so much to be with you…. And you are selfish enough to make me stay here looking at the perfect family that you think you are part of. Well, you stupid girl. I am all the family you need. Pack your suitcase and leave now….." Ella closed her eyes and felt the dark magic consume as steam raised from Jack's hands.

" I don't know who you think you are. But last time I checked you were outside this house kissing someone else…..

"You bitch…. My hand look at them burnt, fix them…." Jack screamed at her as she shook her head at him.

"No… you are drunk and I will not let you do this to me…" Jack looked at his girlfriend once more, tears filling her eyes.

"What about this?" He forced her against the wall, pushing her shorts to one side, forcing himself inside.

"Jack stop it…" She yelled as he pulled her wrists into his grip and Ella felt the pain as he pinched his fingers into them.

"This is the only way I can control you. You are mine and you will do as I want… Do you understand?" Again Ella shook her head….

"Ella don't be stupid." He released his grip on the girl as he slammed his fist into the side of her face. That was the last thing she remembered.

Hours later Ella had woken bruised and battered, Jack's arm over the weight of her body she slid from beneath him. Gliding her hand across his body, giving him the magic to forget because deep down she knew that the darkness that consumed her made it had to love her. She walked to the bathroom magically making the bruises be disguised, for now, she didn't have the strength in her to heal them. She would try again tomorrow. She changed her clothes, throwing the bloodied clothes into the bin and jumping into the shower to wash away the charred remains of blood. Changing into some new night clothes, kissing Jack on the cheek as she headed down to the kitchen, wiping the tears that were staining her cheeks, as she felt the bruise beneath the magic pull at her skin.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter eight**

Ella slid herself up against the wall as the tears descended down her face, as the memory of the night before came back to her, why she had let Jack in again this morning, she didn't know. Regina was mad at her wanted her to leave Storybrooke by the sound of it. So why on earth had she come down to the Vault that belonged to her mother?

Because Ella knew that for some reason this was the one place she felt safe and in control of her power and the darkened heart. She sighed as she felt the usual pull of her heart as she pulled herself back up again. Looking at her face in the mirror, mascara running down her face and the lovely bruise to the right side of her face, she lifted her hand hoping to heal it, but her magic flicked in her hand as she heard footsteps on the stairs.

"Ella..Ella.." Ella wiped her face as she heard the sound of her mother's voice as she came down the stairs. She turned to face the wall, continuing to try to make the mark on her face disappear.

"Ella… Look about this morning… I didn't mean it I don't want you to leave me…" Regina told the girl as she approached the girl's shoulder.

"Ella look we all say things… we don't mean…" Ella flinched as Regina grabbed a hold of Ella's shoulder, forcing her to turn to face her.

"Ella…What is this?" Regina stifled, noticing the bruise that covered the whole of the right side of Ella's face.

"It's nothing…" Ella swept her hand across her face again, hoping that the magic would work this time, to heal the effects, but again it flicked and stopped.

"Ella this is not anything… Who did this you?" Regina sighed as she pulled the girl's hair out of her face and used her own magic to heal the wounds.

"Regina it's nothing…" Ella told her again more firm, causing her Mother to take a step back, it had been a long time since Ella had called her that.

" It look like something or someone has hit you with some force.." Ella turned away again, looking in the mirror, the right side of the face looking red, but nothing as badly bruised as it had before.

" I must have walked into a wall when I was speaking to Zelena about how Grandma wants to take me down the underworld…" Ella told her as she turned back around to face her mother.

" Well, that's not going to happen. So the wall was rounded?" Regina told her as she draped a finger against the cheek.

"Well, she seems to think they are going to take me and Imogen down with them." Ella continued ignoring her mother's question.

"Ella if you don't tell what has really happened to your face, I can pull the memory and find out for myself… Or I will just call Robin and get him to find out for me." Ella shook her head.

"When do you ever listen to me…. It's nothing I don't need your help…" Ella stepped away from her mother feeling the pull of her heart.

" Jack this is Jack…. That's why you wanted the sound proofing, that's why you are moving out and that why you wanted me to put a spell on your sister's abilities to transport? But this morning you both looked so happy?" Regina asked confused as the girl turned to look at her mother once again.

"Do you know what it must feel like for him? Not only has he come from the normal world but he is just expected to understand everything. Understand magic, understand our complicated family, understand the dynamics of our relationship, just agree to live with these people he has never met and to top it all off he has to understand why he and his girlfriend can't have a normal argument because her dark soul takes over her." Ella shook her head as the tears rolled down her face again.

"Ella I know that all this was hard for Jack but he made his decision he wanted to stay here with you and try this. How many times has he done this you? And how comes this morning you had just forgiven him?" Regina grabbed the girl pulling her own close.

"He wants me to have a baby, he thinks we will have a better chance in New York of fostering or finding a surrogate. We could have a better life there…." Ella reminded herself as she sobbed into her mother's chest.

"Ella how many times?" Regina asked as she felt the pain in her own chest, remembering her years with Leopold.

" We could be happier… and it's not that I don't love you guys…. I just want him to be happy that's why I help him forget." Now was that part that Ella couldn't quite explain herself, the fact that as soon as he hurt her she made sure he wouldn't remember.

"You make him forget? How many times has he done this you?" Regina asked as Ella pulled away.

" Sometimes it's just easy to have someone who loved you before you changed , before you become the person with the darkest soul. It's not his fault. I am too blame. I'm making him live with my crazy family. A mother who could fry him in an instant, a step-dad who could put an arrow straight through him and then there is my sister who just appears when she wants." Ella explained as Regina shook her head.

" Do not make excuses for him. How many times has he done this too you?" Regina asked as she attempted to regain Ella's hand.

"Let's talk about the fact that you want me to leave Storybrooke." Ella recalled as she felt her darkness pulling at her again.

"No. I do not. Not with him. Ella, was this the first time he has hit you?" Ella shook her head.

"Since we sound proofed the room or before?" The room had been soundproofed for over a year, over many an argument about privacy and the fact that they were an adult couple, another stop to them moving out of the mansion.

"Before…" Ella whispered as she looked down at the floor. Regina stepped back a whole year she had believed that Ella was safe that she was with someone who was protecting her and loving her.

"Why didn't you come to me?" She stifled again as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Because it's not his fault," Ella whispered again.

"Ella your face tells me otherwise, and the fact that you couldn't heal it also tells me that he is doing a lot more than hitting you…" Ella gasped as she looked at her Mother again, guilt washing over her as she saw Regina's tears for the first time.

"Ella, this is not okay. We need to take you to see Whale and see if there is any internal damage and then we go and see Gold because he can check your magic, see what is going on." Regina told the girl as she watched Ella back up against the wall, letting the tears coming freely now.

" Ella when he has done this you. Have I been there?" Ella nodded through the tears as her lip started to tremble.

"You and Robin were next door, Henry, Roland were all asleep, the night I came down for coffee, when Imogen was teething…" Ella told her as she wrapped her knees in close to her chest.

"Ella you should have told me that was almost eight months ago. We could have stopped this." Regina yelled as she turned away.

"but it's not his fault. My dark soul does this." Ella told her through sobs.

"No. You are my daughter and this is not your fault. He is not the Victim and neither will you be, because I am going to kill him…" Regina told the girl as she turned to see Ella standing and run into her arms.

"This is not okay… Ella do you understand me. You are a strong woman and I know this about you. I am your mother and I am telling you I am not okay. Let alone how you must be feeling…" Regina pulled the women in closer, as she silently sobbed into her chest.

"Mummy… What's the matter with Ella?" Regina turned to see Imogen behind her, Ella pulled out of her mother's arms and walked back to face the wall.

"Is it because I made you two argue this morning…. I just wanted you to see her… I didn't know it would make you cross…" Regina walked towards the strawberry blonde who was still wearing her red jacket.

"Imogen… Mummy and Ella just needed to talk about some things. When you're a grown up sometimes you fall out and sometimes it means that things that were hurting you have to be told to the other person." Regina told the girl as she pulled her in close, and she felt Ella come up behind them.

"Like when Roland tries to steal my Frozen Book?" Regina nodded as she felt Ella hide her head in the top of her back, silently sobbing.

"Exactly like that… Now Imogen which adult was you with?" Regina asked as she pulled the little girl up and pulled into her chest.

"Jack…." Ella gasped as she pulled away from her mother waving her hand quickly making Robin appear in front of them.

"Take her home now…" Ella begged as Robin got back to grips with his surroundings.

"But I was doing rounds with David, trying to see if there were any more people who had returned from the dead," Robin told them as he saw the tears in the women's eyes.

"Robin I know you like spending time with David but I need you to take our daughter somewhere safe." Regina told him as Imogen started to resist her mother's grip.

"But I was helping Jack dig in the mud at your new house…." Imogen told them as Ella turned away leaving this to the girl's parents.

"Imogen go wait by the stairs for Daddy. He just needs to talk to Mummy and Ella…." Imogen skipped to the stairs to wait as she had been asked.

"What is going on? What on earth has happened to Ella's face and why is Imogen is not allowed to go back to Jack…" Regina shook her head.

" He's been hurting her…." Robin shook his head.

"What Imogen? I'm sure she would have told us that by now." Regina took his hand and pointed to Ella.

" I will kill him…"

"No that's not what you are going to do. That's not we are going to do. You are going to protect Imogen, find Roland and check Henry is safe. I will deal with our daughter with the darkest soul. Robin I need you to trust me…" Regina told him as he pulled her into his chest.

"Just be safe and she need's to be okay," Robin whispered into her hair as he pulled away walking towards his stepdaughter.

"I love both of you so much. Just be safe…." He told them as gently kissed Ella's on the cheek. He then ran to the door.

"Imi should we go and find your brothers?" Robin asked as he and Imogen run the stairs.

Regina turned to Ella who was looking at the floor, ashamed because she had been putting the whole family at risk for long enough.

"I am sorry Mom… I thought it would get better…"Ella told her Mother as she pulled her in closer.

"It will and now we need to focus on how we get him out of here. Sometimes our happy ending isn't always what we think it will be."

Jack sighed as he started searching for Imogen who had disappeared again, he started ringing all the panic numbers, Regina-no answer, Robin-No answer, Ella – no answer.

"damn it… Where would I go if I was Imogen?" Jack asked himself.

"I think I would get as far from you as possible. Because no one hurts my granddaughter and thinks that's it okay..."


End file.
